Monday, April 1, 2013

This building is one of several remaining A.W. Pattiani houses in Alameda and Berkeley. The house had been significantly altered by additions and expansions on its west and north elevations, by the removal of original ornament and by the application of wood shingles over original wood siding and previously ornamented surfaces. The west addition included a wraparound porch where none previously existed, covered by a squat, glass-roofed pergola supported on classical style columns. The result of the cumulative changes was a house that was no longer recognizable as an A.W. Pattiani Queen Anne.

The current owners wanted to restore the character of A.W. Pattiani’s original design as well as specific Pattiani signature ornamental details to the property. They also needed to address serious water intrusion problems and the ensuing damage that had developed on the wraparound porch. It was not practical for the owners to consider giving up the previous western addition (which contains a dining room) and wraparound porch, but both additions were ornamentally inconsistent with the original design and created massing challenges to restoring the main facade.

The solution to this dilemma was to restore the original portion of the structure as closely as possible based on existing Pattiani examples and historical photos, and to rebuild the deteriorated wraparound porch using a vocabulary more compatible with the original house. This included adding a cupola that effectively conceals the awkward western addition while adding new ornament and massing in proportion to the original façade.

Several months of painstaking structural work and ornamental
carpentry were followed by a thorough paint job based in part on original
colors exposed when shingles were removed. The new color design substantially
reinforces the massing and ornamentation of the house exterior. The new porch
conceals a steel moment frame that adds seismic stability to the structure, and
porch and stair railings have been designed to comply with modern life and
safety codes.

About Me

Rynerson OBrien Architecture identifies and develops the potential for order, function and beauty through design. We deliver our clients through the design and construction process, resulting in a coherent physical product.
We are a 6-person firm in Oakland, California, providing complete residential and commercial architectural services tailored to meet the specific demands of our clients.
Rynerson OBrien's design teams are built around the active participation of at least one principal in all phases of the project. The personal involvement and accessibility of our partners provides for effective client communication, design continuity and hands-on contract administration.